Song of Solomon 2
1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.
I am [like] [MET] a flower/rose from the Sharon [Plain], and [like] [MET] a lily [that grows] in a valley.
2 Like a lily among the thorns is my darling among the maidens.
Among the [other] young women, the one whom I love is like [MET] a lily [growing] among thorns!
3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
And among [the other] men, you, the man who loves me, are like [MET] an apple/fruit tree [that grows] in the forest. [You are like a tree whose] shadow [protects me from the sun], and your [being close to me] [EUP] is like [MET] eating sweet fruit.
4 He has brought me to the house of wine, and his banner over me is love.
You led me to the (banquet room/room where we could make love), and it is evident that you love me very much.
5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
Refresh me and strengthen me [with your lovemaking] [like I am refreshed by eating] [MET, EUP] raisins and other fruit, because I very much desire that you love me even more.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.
Put your left arm under my head and with your right arm hold me close.
7 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
You young women of Jerusalem, solemnly promise me, while the does and gazelles [are listening], that you will not disturb us while we are making love until we are ready to quit.
8 Listen! My beloved approaches. Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.
I hear the voice of the man who loves me. [It is as though] [MET] he is leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.
like [SIM] a deer or a gazelle. Now he is standing outside the wall of our house, looking in the window, and peering through the (lattice/wooden strips inside the window frame).
10 My beloved calls to me, “Arise, my darling. Come away with me, my beautiful one.
He spoke to me and said, “You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me [CHI]!
11 For now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
Look, the (winter/cold season) is ended; the rain has stopped;
12 The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.
flowers are blooming throughout the country/land. It is now time to sing; we hear the doves cooing.
13 The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come away, my darling; come away with me, my beautiful one.”
There are young/new figs on the fig trees, and there are blossoms on the grapevines and their fragrance fills the air. You whom I love, get up; my beautiful one, come with me!
14 O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your countenance is lovely.
[You are like] [MET] a dove that is hiding [far from me] in an opening/crack in the rocky cliff. Show me your face, and allow me to hear your voice, because your voice is sweet-sounding and your face is lovely [CHI].”
15 Catch for us the foxes— the little foxes that ruin the vineyards— for our vineyards are in bloom.
[There are other men who are like] [MET] little jackals/foxes that ruin vineyards; do not allow [those men to attack me].
16 My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.
You who love me, I belong to you and you belong to me, and you [experience pleasure when you kiss] my lips [like] [MET] a shepherd enjoys taking care of his sheep.
17 Before the day breaks and shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.
You who love me, come and be like [SIM] a gazelle or like a young deer on the hills of Bether, and then flee like a deer at dawn [tomorrow morning], when the darkness fades.
